This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: gen_robin Surnames: HAY, SEWELL, CLARKE, DASHWOOD Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.asia.india.general/2552.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Regarding your request for help in discovering the identity of the birth mother of Margaret Susannah Hay, I'm afraid I do not have any 'new' information. I still have her listed as "Unknown lady". All I can really do is confirm that Margaret Susannah could not have been the daughter of Patrick Martin Hay's only known wife, Mary Susan née Clarke - as Mary Susan could have been only been about nine or ten years old when Margaret was born! This is based on the 1861 census showing "Mary Currie" (after she had married a second time in 1847 to Isaac George Currie - but in 1861 his widow lodging with her daughter Augusta Lawrence) aged 59 born (abt. 1802) in Bengal East Indies and on the 1871 census record showing "Mary Susan Currie" (then residing with her son Robert Bryce Hay) aged 69 born in Bengal. It also appears she was likely christened 13 Nov 1803 at Saint Mary-St Marylebone Road, London - father: "RICHD CLARKE" and mother: 'MARY ELIZTH" (IGI). And all my searches for a reference to the birth mother of Margaret Susannah have so far proved fruitless. The IGI just gives her father as: "LIEUT HAY" and a birth date of 22 Jul 1811 and a christening on 23 Dec 1813 in Cawnpore, West Bengal. I have not looked at either of the FHL films that are the sources for these - but I suspect they do not give any more information. When I was in Madras some years ago and went to check the parish (St Mary's Fort Saint George) records on their computer, I could see it was very common to only mention the father. It was also not so unusual for some of these fathers to have neglected to register or otherwise formalize their first 'marriages' (or liaisons) with the mothers of some of their children. I know of at least three such situations within my own family researches, including this one in question. The other two are not so distantly related - through Margaret Susannah's paternal grandmother's Dashwood family. So I fear we may not have too much luck in identifying Margaret Susannah's birth mother. I have found nothing on FIBIS beyond the reference to a bond dated 3 May 1826 for Miss Marg't S. Hay and Mrs Mary Hay - both passengers in the Bengal Presidency. Though she does not appear to have been with her father, "Capt. P.M. Hay" of the "Bengal Establishment" and his wife on board the Asia, which arrived at Calcutta, Bengal from England in June of 1820. At least she is not listed on that FIBIS record from the entries in: "Arrivals from the Bengal Almanac, Bengal Directory, Calcutta Annual Register, Calcutta Directory and Calcutta Calendar 1817-1822, 1824". Furthermore she is not listed as having accompanied her father, "Lieut. P. Hay of the 9th Regt. N.I." on board the Castle Huntley which departed Calcutta for an unspecified destination in February 1813. Though there was a Miss Charlotte Hay - a "child" on board as well. No clue to any possible connection however. [There was a "Mrs Hay", who arrived at Calcutta in that same February 1813 on board the Inglis - but she may well have been the wife of its captain, whose last name was also Hay!] Neither did Margaret Susannah accompany her father (or another "Lieut. Hay") to Calcutta from England in August of 1816 on board the Phoenix. And she is not listed as having accompanied him (without a doubt her father),"Lieut. Hay of the 28th Regt. N.I." on board the same Phoenix which departed from Calcutta in December 1816 for Europe. Nor was there any likely lady companion with him - on either of these voyages. And that's all I've found of any possibly relevant toings and froings. Apart from an arrival at Madras from England on July 7th, 1813 for a Clarke family viz: 'R. Clarke Esq.", "Mrs Mary Clarke" and "Miss Mary Clarke", which may or may not be Major Richard Clarke, of the Bengal cavalry, with his wife Mary Elizabeth (née Porter) and their daughter, Mary Susan. All of this, I'm afraid, is more negative information than positive - in the search for the identity of the mother of Margaret Susannah Sewell (née Hay). As for the rest of the families you mention, I do have quite a bit of information on both Patrick Martin Hay and his father Patrick Hay, who was married to Sarah Dashwood, and their related family connections. But you may well have as much or more information on these as I do. I do not know of any diaries or correspondence, family books etc that may shed further light. But if you would like to compare notes on any of the Hay, Sewell and Clarke connections, I would be happy to do so. My own family connection is through the Dashwoods - many of whom spent signifacant time in India (in both the Madras and Bengal presidencies). And if you are also interested in information on Sarah Dashwood and her siblings, parents etc, I would be happy to pass on whatever I have to you. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.